Four people going to Winter Lights this year can pay as little as $45 or as much as $200, depending on how they get through the gate and which evening they choose.
Winter Lights returns to The North Carolina Arboretum from November 13, 2026, through January 3, 2027, with more than one million lights along a one-mile walk through the gardens. Tickets have been on sale since early October, and WLOS reported on the launch on October 2. The lights haven't changed much from year to year, so the bigger choice is how you buy.
The Ticket Counts The Car, Not The People
A standard Winter Lights ticket covers one car. In the Arboretum's words on its ticket page, "Everyone in your car gets in for one price!" According to the local guide Uncorked Asheville, personal-vehicle tickets for 2026 run $45 to $75, depending on the date.
Because the price is per car, every extra seat you fill lowers the cost per person. Even at the top of that range, $75 split across a carload of four is under $19 each, before taxes and fees. Add a fifth person and the share drops to $15. If two households ride together, one ticket covers both.
The same logic holds for bigger vehicles. A vehicle with 9 to 14 seats pays $85, $110 or $135, depending on the date. Buses and motorcoaches with 15 or more passenger seats pay $400, $500 or $600. Member discounts don't apply to those sizes. A church van or a neighborhood group that fills all 14 seats pays less than $10 a head, even on the most expensive nights.
The Calendar Sets The Other Half Of The Price
Once you know how many people are coming, the date sets the rest of the price. The Arboretum sorts every night into one of three demand tiers: Value, Standard and Peak. In its words, these tiers "allow visitors to save by choosing less popular dates." The color-coded 2026 calendar on the ticket page shows which tier each night falls in. Uncorked Asheville notes that weekends and peak December dates cost more than weeknights.
That means the cheapest Winter Lights is a full car on a Value night. It also means a few rules can raise the price after you've picked a date:
- Advance sales close at 5 p.m. on the day. Online tickets for each date stay available until 5 p.m. that evening unless they sell out first.
- The gate costs more. If space allows, the gate sells tickets from 7 to 9 p.m. Gate prices are $10 to $15 higher, discounts don't apply, and some visitors without tickets may be turned away.
- Tickets are non-refundable. The only exception is if the Arboretum cancels the event. You can reschedule through Eventbrite before the date on your ticket, but a $15 change fee may apply.
- Members save $5. Arboretum Society members get $5 off tickets bought in advance, using the promo code in their member email.
There's one more catch for people who like to buy in person. Starting November 1, the Baker Front Desk sells advance tickets from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It doesn't take cash, and standard parking fees apply. Members park free. The Arboretum's daytime parking fee for a personal vehicle went up to $25 on March 1, 2026. Unless you were already planning a daytime visit, driving over just to buy a ticket at the desk can cost more than buying online.
The Trolley Charges Per Person
Some nights you'd rather not drive, and that option exists too. The Winter Lights Trolley is run by the Arboretum with Biltmore Park Town Square and Gray Line Trolley Tours. It's priced per person: $50 plus tax. Trolleys leave from in front of Mosaic Cafe at 1 Town Square Blvd. every 30 minutes from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Return trips leave Winter Lights every 30 minutes from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Each fare includes the round-trip ride, Winter Lights admission and a gift bag, along with a cocoa coin for a free cocoa. On its trolley page, the Arboretum describes it as a way to "skip the lines." The trolley runs only on select Friday and Saturday nights. Biltmore Park lists these 2026 dates:
- November 27 and 28, the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving
- December 4 and 5
- December 11 and 12
- December 18 and 19
- December 26
Here's how the per-person math works out. Four ticketed riders who could drive over in one car for $45 to $75 pay $200 plus tax for the trolley. Children four and under can ride on a parent's lap at no charge, and older children need their own ticket. You're paying for the extras: no driving after dark, no parking, and a separate way in. Biltmore Park pitches it as a full evening, with dinner and shopping in Town Square before you board. Advance tickets are required, and space is limited.
| Way in | How it's priced | Price | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advance car ticket | Per vehicle | $45 to $75, by tier | Online until 5 p.m. that day |
| Gate car ticket | Per vehicle | $10 to $15 above advance | 7 to 9 p.m., if space allows |
| 9 to 14 seat vehicle | Per vehicle | $85, $110 or $135 | Online |
| Winter Lights Trolley | Per person | $50 plus tax | Nine select Fridays and Saturdays |
What The Ticket Buys In The Gardens This Year
Wherever you're paying from, this is what you'll find once you're inside. The 2026 show adds three new scenes: "Forest Floor," where mushrooms carpet the ground; "Beneath the Riverbed," where you walk beneath glowing lily pads; and "Between Water and Woods," with giant dragonflies. Smoky Mountain News reports the 2026 theme as "Nature Revered."
One favorite from last year won't be back. During the 2025 season, six of Thomas Dambo's troll sculptures were part of Winter Lights. The Arboretum's Trolls page says Trolls: A Field Study closed on February 17, 2026, and the trolls have "moved on." If your kids loved them, set expectations before you go.
Your ticket also covers live music at the Education Center, with a different act each night. The 2026 performance schedule includes Jackson Town Ramblers, Swingin' Poppies, Asheville Junction, WNC Brass, Hollar and Crow, Bayou Diesel, Celtic Road and Martha Spencer & The Wonderland Band. If there's a band you want to hear, look up its night on the schedule before you choose a date. That may be worth more to you than a cheaper tier.
For food and drinks, The Arbor Eatery at the Education Center sells food, hot cocoa, alcoholic drinks and s'more kits. Two Cocoa Shack locations in the gardens sell cocoa, drinks and treats. The food and entertainment page also lists a Cocoa Cabin. Proceeds go back to the Arboretum, since Winter Lights is its largest annual fundraiser.
The Smaller Rules That Change How You Plan
A few more details from the Winter Lights FAQ can affect your plans:
- Entry times. Tickets come with a 6, 7 or 8 p.m. entry time. Gates open at 6, final entry is at 9 p.m., and you can stay until the show closes at 10 p.m. The Arboretum asks guests not to line up before their entry time.
- No staying over from a daytime visit. The property closes and clears at 5 p.m. every day so staff can set up the show.
- Rideshare. Uber and Lyft riders still need a personal-vehicle ticket. The GPS address for the front gate is 20 Frederick Law Olmsted Way. Since the ticket is priced per car, a rideshare group is buying a whole car's admission, so it makes more sense the more of you share the ride.
- Pets and wheels. Only service animals are allowed, and bikes, skates and scooters are not permitted in the gardens.
- Accessibility. Paved paths run through the gardens, and a limited number of loaner wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If the accessible parking spaces are full, drop-offs are allowed in front of the buildings.
- Gift tickets. You can buy undated vouchers by phone at (828) 412-8570. If you're giving one as a present, a voucher lets the recipient pick their own night, which matters more when every night has its own price.
If Winter Lights is on your calendar with visiting family this year, enjoy the drive out through the gardens. And if someone at the table asks what your house might be worth these days, Joellen Maurer can give you a straight answer without the guesswork. Get Your Free Home Valuation whenever you're ready.
